Potential LA Chargers head coach stock watch after Wild Card Round
By Jason Reed
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports – LA Chargers
Several LA Chargers head coaching candidates were in action during the Wild Card Round.
The LA Chargers are officially underway in their search for a new head coach with several confirmed interviews that are taking place. A good chunk of those that have been confirmed were in action and coaching during the first round of the NFL Playoffs.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus squared off in the first game. Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley was also in action on Saturday.
On Sunday, Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was part of the opening game against the Baltimore Ravens. That is four potential head coaches that coached in round one with Kansas City Chiefs coordinator Eric Bieniemy getting a first-round bye.
For one of these coaches, it might be their last game with their respective team before joining the Bolts. With that in mind, whose stock went up and whose went down?
Matt Eberflus: Stock slightly down
Eberflus is absolutely the least popular name of the bunch but he had a fairly decent showing on Saturday against the Buffalo Bills. Yes, his Colts lost and they allowed the Bills to score 27 points, but that is kind of a win with the way that the Bills have been playing offensively.
This was actually under the Bills’ average of 31.3 points per game this season and the Colts held the Buffalo offense to under 400 yards, something a team had not done since the LA Chargers in Week 12.
So why is his stock down if he had a fairly decent showing? Well, with the fan desire to hire an offensive-minded head coach and the fact that he is the least popular, Eberflus was going to need a statement showing by his defense against Josh Allen and the Bills.
That slightly did not happen, which does not raise his case and with him already being behind the other names, that in turn results in his stock slightly falling.